High School Wrestling Captain Mason Mingus to Wrestle ARCA Racing Series and ARCA CRA Super Series Friday at Lucas Oil Raceway

Topics:  Mason Mingus, Win-Tron Racing, Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200

Chris Knight
Knight Motorsports Management
July 24, 2012

(TOLEDO, Ohio) - - Perhaps no other driver this week at Lucas Oil Raceway will be as busy as Brentwood, Tennessee's Mason Mingus. The 17-year-old rookie will be competing in both the ARCA CRA Super Series and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Friday night, July 27.

The soon-to-be senior in high school did the same feat at Winchester Speedway earlier this year, but each series ran its main event on different days. That won't be the case at Lucas Oil Raceway, where everything rolls out in one action-packed, double-header day.

"It'll be a little tougher to do it all in one day," Mingus said. "At Winchester, we raced on two different days, which gave me more time to learn the track. We're going to race back-to-back at Lucas Oil (Raceway), so I'm going to have to learn the track a lot quicker.

"Our main focus is ARCA, but we're there to win both."

The Fatheadz 100 for the ARCA CRA Super Series, scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern, will precede the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 for the ARCA Racing Series, live on SPEED at 9 Eastern.

Mingus, whose career-best ARCA finish was sixth at Winchester, also finished ninth at Elko Speedway earlier this season. Mingus drives the No. 32 car in ARCA Racing Series competition for Win-Tron Racing. He'll be driving for car owner Kevin Gardner in the No. 811 Chevy on the ARCA CRA side.

"I'm not concerned about the stamina, and I'm not running for points in either series; so seat-time is most critical now ...... so we're ready to come back and run ARCA fulltime next year.

"In racing both cars at Winchester I was able to learn a lot, which I think will really help this weekend at Lucas Oil. The ARCA cars are a lot heavier, and different to drive. It's all about how you drive the ARCA car. In the CRA car, you can drive in a lot harder and get back in the throttle as soon as you can.

"In the ARCA car, you have to be a lot more patient. You have to back up your corner entry, ease in, and let it turn so you can get back on the gas as soon as possible. In the late model, you get everything you can getting in, and get back in it as soon as possible coming off."

Mingus will be a senior in high school this year at the Franklin Road Academy in Brentwood. While his high school buddies may not be completely up to speed with his racing program, they are certainly well aware that Mingus competes on the school's wrestling team - that would be the Tennessee State Championship high school wrestling team.

Surprisingly, Mingus says there are some valuable comparisons between wrestling your opponent on the mat and wrestling your race car on the track.

"I think wrestling is one of the best things you can do to help you with life and to teach discipline. It's about discipline and focus, and that's what it takes to be successful in wrestling. It's what will make me successful in racing, or anything else for that matter."

Mingus wrestles in the 160-lb. weight class and is the captain of his state championship wrestling team.

"Racing is a team effort for sure, but once you get out on the track, it's all you. It's all in your hands when you get in the car. That's just like wrestling. It takes a lot of discipline and focus whether you're wrestling or racing."

The Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 by Federated Car Care (200 laps / 137 miles) is the 13th of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The ninth ARCA race at LOR is a one-day show. Practice begins Friday, July 27 with a forty-five practice session planned from 1:35 p.m. - 2:20 p.m. A final practice is scheduled from 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for later in the day slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. The event will take the green flag under the lights shortly after 9:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional coverage including timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Eastern).

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For more on Mason Mingus, please visit MasonMingusRacing.com.

About Win-Tron Racing:

Located in Lakeville, Minnesota, Win-Tron Racing is the home of one the most potent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards single-car operations. Owned by former racers Kevin Cywinski and Nate Thiesse, the team since has acquired the assets of County Joe Racing has become a favorable fixture on the circuit. Since Win-Tron Racing’s inception in 2007, the team has hosted a variety of drivers including leading drivers James Buescher, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Marks and Matt Merrell to their first career ARCA victories. In 2012, the team will begin its sixth year of competition with current drivers Chris Windom, Mason Mingus and Aleks Gregory.

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TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
NAME: Chris Knight, Knight Motorsports Management
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: chris@chrisknightpr.com